Today my friend Sarah Volkert is a guest on Layered Pages to share her creative journey with us. When I met Sarah a few months ago at a Posh n Sip and I was thrilled to discover her creative side and it is always exciting to discover fellow artists. Let’s get our art on! 

Sarah, it is a pleasure to be featuring your jewelry line on Layered Pages today! When I first met you and discovered that you have a creative side to you, I was overjoyed! Tell me how you got into jewelry making?

Thank you so much for featuring me on your page, Stephanie! I got into jewelry making about 5 years ago, but it was not my first crafting love. I cross-stitch, crochet, and knit as well. So, I was at a craft store one day and noticed a beading magazine that featured bead stitching (I didn’t know that was a “thing”) and it looked interesting, so I bought the magazine and supplies to make a bracelet. I picked it up very quickly, and I spent about 3 years learning and practicing before I started selling my items.

Is there a specific style you stick with or do you mix it up?

I think I mix it up a little too much, to be honest! I personally have an eclectic style, and there is just so much that I think is beautiful and interests me that it’s hard to pick one. If I had to narrow it down, I’d say my style is modern and/or boho.

What are the platforms you sell on?

I have a shop on Etsy and I sell on Poshmark. About 90% of the jewelry items I have for sale on Poshmark are made by me.

What are some ways you upcycle pieces you might use to make your creations?

I save beer bottle caps and pop tops to make jewelry with, although I have yet to list any pieces. I’m hoping to get to that within the next couple of months. I’ve also had jewelry I’ve bought break and I will save the beads and chain from those and make a new piece out of them.

How much time a week do you spend on your jewelry making?

I’m lucky if I get a few hours!

I’m a stay-at-home mom and my kids are young (5 and 2), but I try to squeeze in an hour here and there when I can. There are also the other aspects of running a business that need my attention and take time away from creating. Christmas is always crazy, but after everything settles down my goal is to spend at least 8 hours a week on creating.

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into making jewelry?

There are so many possibilities with what you can do, it’s pretty overwhelming. I would tell someone to pick one technique or stitch they would like to learn to do, but don’t invest a lot of money into it until you’re sure it’s something you’re going to enjoy. Also, I think it’s pretty easy to get discouraged, especially when you’re starting out, so if something isn’t working or you’re getting confused or frustrated, just take a break from it for an hour or a day and come back. I still have to do that from time to time!